Elena?
by Akikko
Summary: Freddy Junior had never really had that much luck in the love department. When he and his son, Faris, go to the supermarket, he spots his old high school crush, Elena Krum. Next Gen. Freddy is George's son, according to an interview with Rowling.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter nor any other part of J.K. Rowling's creations. I do, however, own Faris. My friend Kate owns Marie and Elena. Freddy's personality here is how I perceive him to be. The song is based off of the lines "You're not supposed to know anything", "Having every question answered/Is it gonna' help at all?", and "Twenty years of bad decisions hasn't taught me much at all" from the song Textbook by We Are Scientists.

**Summary**: When shopping with Faris, Freddy gets a surprise.

**Note**: I am sick right now, and this probably sucks ass. :3

* * *

"Daddy, daddy! Lookit this!"

Wide-eyed Faris had both hands on the window of a Wizard store. Freddy looked over to see what had gotten the two-year-old so excited. "Hm?"

Faris tugged on his dad's shirt to get him to kneel down so he could see what he wanted him to look at.

"Look!" Faris pointed at a sleeping cat that had been charmed Gryffindor red and gold. "When I gots to go to Hoggywarts, s'at's the kitty I want!"

Freddy chuckled. "W-we'll see." He took Faris by the hand, leading him down through the busy streets of Diagon Alley.

Faris was holding his father's hand and swinging it back and forth, looking at all the people. Freddy was impressed that Faris was behaving so well, until—

"Daddy, look, s'there's my fwiend Marie!" Faris immediately let go of Freddy's hand and darted into the crowd, causing the already nervous father's heartbeat to spike.

"F-faris! Faris, c-come back!" demanded Freddy, following after him frantically. The crowd parted with disgruntled looks as the child pushed them aside.

Freddy finally made it through the crowd, his adrenaline pumping as he looked around for his son. "Faris, wh-where are you?" he called out, the words laced with worry.

"Over here, daddy!" replied Faris, and Freddy turned to the sound. He sighed in relief as he saw his son waving frantically with one hand, the other clutching the hand of a girl with long black hair, who looked a few years older than Faris. "S'this is my fwiend Marie!"

Freddy tried his best to look stern as he walked towards the two, though he was glad to see Faris was alright. He took his son's hand, attempting to lead him back. "F-faris, you really shouldn—"

"Marie! Marie, come back!"

Marie rolled her eyes and turned to the sound. "I'm right _here_, mommy." A woman about the same age as Freddy rushed towards them and embraced her daughter tightly. Freddy gripped his son's hand, turning pale at the sight of the woman.

She finally let go of her daughter and turned towards Faris, who was desperately trying to get out of his father's grip. "Daaaaadddd, lemme go!" he whined, but Freddy was staring blankly at the woman, who stared right back.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Freddy wasn't sure to jump for joy or run away at the familiar voice. The woman, getting no response, studied Freddy's face. "…Do I know you?"

"…E-elena…" he said softly, still not believing it was her.

Elena's face instantly lit up with recognition. "Freddy! I _thought_ it was you!" She hugged him with a bone-crushing hug. "How in the world have you been?" Faris had finally weaseled out of Freddy's grasp and gone to talk to Marie.

"S-still as strong as e-ever, I see, E-elena," said Freddy, rubbing his arms and grinning as Elena pulled away from the hug.

"S-still a stutter as always, I see, Freddy," laughed Elena. "Anyway, fancy seeing you! I haven't seen you since my 7th year! You must be… 19 years old by now!"

Freddy smiled inwardly at his old friend's cheerfulness. "T-twenty, actually. I'm o-only a year y-younger than you." His heart was bursting with joy, but at the same time, it felt like it was being suffocated with sorrow.

"…Is she your d-daughter?" he continued, looking back at Marie. Elena followed his gaze, smiling proudly.

"Yes, she is," Elena replied.

Freddy felt his heart rip in half.

"Is he yours?" Elena switched her gaze to Faris, who was telling Marie about the cat he had seen earlier.

"Yes, that's F-faris," answered Freddy with some difficulty.

Elena raised an eyebrow and nudged Freddy. "Who's the lucky bird, then? Y'married?" Freddy shook his head.

The twenty-year-old father knew he was going to regret replying. She wasn't supposed to know. He almost wanted to keep it a secret, but took a deep breath and explained, "…Adela is his m-mother. …We're not together."

The female Quidditch player looked at Freddy dubiously. "I thought you hated her?"

"I d-did," he said, avoiding her gaze. He wanted to leave; he didn't want to answer all her insistent questions or fall in love with that _smile_ all over again. "We don't t-talk anymore. She l-left me Faris."

Elena looked as if she didn't know how to react, but Marie saved her the trouble. "_Mommy_, don't forget that we were going to the Quidditch team meeting. We should go now." Marie was trying to shrug off the overly excited boy next to her, who was still going on about that cat.

Elena turned back to face Freddy. "Freddy, it's been nice, but—"

"I u-understand, you have to go," replied Freddy, who walked toward the two children and grasped his son's hand again.

"It was nice seeing you, Freddy," said Elena, taking her daughter's hand. "…Give me an owl sometime, alright?" Freddy nodded in reply, ignoring his son's pleas to go with Marie and Elena.

Elena gave Freddy one last look before walking on with her daughter. Freddy just stood and watched her walk away.

Father and son walked through the streets quietly as Freddy thought of what had happened.

"_I shouldn't have asked so many questions, because the answers she gave aren't going to help me get over my feelings for her. Twenty years of bad decisions hadn't taught me much at all. Sure, I'm smitten with love, but that doesn't mean he should have been so stupid—_"

His son's voice interrupted his quiet self-criticism.

"Daddy?" asked Faris, looking up at his father as they walked.

"Yes, F-faris?"

"…Can we have pancakes for dinner?"

Freddy's frown cracked into a grin. It didn't matter if Elena never gave him a second thought—he had things to look forward to. He had his _son_ to love.

He stopped walking and knelt down to be eye-level with his son, and hugged the confused boy tightly. "Of c-course we can." Freddy stood up and held his son's hand as he disapparated them both home.

After all, they both had pancakes to look forward to.


End file.
